by Jerry Cook Installing a new LVD Strippit Orion Plus 3015 laser cutting system has not only enhanced flexibility and improved productivity at Mississauga, ON-based Solutions Custom Fabricating Inc. (SCF) but it has also opened up several important, new areas of business for the firm.
“The LVD Strippit laser has given a whole new look to our company. Now
our customers can come to us for a complete solution including laser
cutting,” says Wayne Chiem, president of SCF.
SCF, which began
operations in 2002, specializes in precision metal fabricating
including custom design and manufacture. The firm serves a variety of
customers in a number of markets including lighting, architecture,
store fixtures, displays, shelving, electronic components, and more.
“One thing that we wanted to do was diversify (into different markets).
We didn’t want to be stuck (in one market or) with one customer. We are
a custom fabricator,” says Chiem.
In addition to laser cutting,
SCF provides a wide variety of services including CNC punching,
bending, welding (MIG, TIG, spot), assembly, sawing, and more. The
company has 20 employees at its 16,000 sq. ft. facility. In
general, SCF’s part runs range from one-offs and prototypes up to
thousands of pieces. The company works with a variety of sheet
materials including mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminum.
Typically, SCF is dealing with material thicknesses ranging from 22 ga
up to 5/8 in. SCF is also cutting square tubing up to four in. with the
laser system.
Even before installing the laser system, SCF had built
a good reputation in the marketplace for manufacturing quality products
at a competitive price with on-time delivery. “Most of our jobs are
referrals from (existing) customers. We basically do everything on a
job from start to finish from design to manufacture. We are a one-stop
shop (for our customer’s requirements),” says Chiem.
There were a
number of reasons behind the decision to install the new laser system,
adds Chiem. For one thing, “I felt that installing the laser system
would build the confidence that our current customers have in SCF.” As
well, SCF, which previously wasn’t involved in laser cutting, had to
outsource its laser cutting requirements to an outside vendor, but
Chiem wanted to bring that work back inhouse.
Chiem evaluated a
number of other laser systems before selecting the Orion Plus 3015
laser. “I didn’t want to have to buy a million dollar laser cutting
machine. I calculated my costs involved with subcontracting our laser
cutting work (against purchasing a laser) and I felt that the Strippit
laser would increase our business. The price of the Orion Plus 3015 was
very good (compared to other systems).” The Orion Plus 3015 laser
system was supplied by LVD Strippit, Akron, NY (lvdgroup.com).
However,
it wasn’t only the competitive price of the Orion laser that influenced
Chiem’s decision to purchase the Strippit laser. “If you invest half a
million dollars in a machine, you have to have the service to support
the machine. I knew from previous experience that Strippit’s service is
very good. Since we’ve installed the laser system, the service and
support from Strippit has always been there. The service for us is the
key.”
The Orion Plus 3015 laser is 4,000 watts, handles sheet sizes
up to 1500 x 3000mm, and can cut material up to 3/4 in. thick. The
Orion Plus 3015 provides automatic focal positioning, greater process
control functionality, and an optional automatic load/unload system.
Orion’s hybrid-style design is comprised of a highly rigid, high
precision rack-and-pinion drive system that delivers precise motion and
position control. The rigid framework permits Orion systems to maintain
high processing speeds without loss of cut quality. A simple beam
delivery system ensures easy alignment and a stable beam path.
SCF’s
Orion Plus 3015 laser includes the optional automatic load/unload
system which eliminates manual sheet handling and increases
productivity and efficiency. Including the load/unload system on its
laser was a critical decision that has had a major impact on SCF’s
operations. “The reason why we decided to include the load/unload
system was for improved efficiency. If I hadn’t included the
load/unload feature I would have had to purchase a crane to load the
heavy sheets.
“Another good thing about the load/unload system is
if you run a job with, for example, 100 sheets of material, you can
walk away and let the machine handle the job unattended and run
overnight,“ he adds. The Orion laser, he continues, has provided a
variety of benefits for SCF. “The laser has improved our productivity
and has helped us reduce lead times significantly. The laser is also
very good for prototyping and provides us with improved flexibility.”
However,
according to Chiem, improved productivity and flexibility aren’t the
only benefits that SCF is realizing from its new laser. “Not only do we
use the laser for our own internal work, but we have also gained new
customers that we do laser cutting for on a subcontract basis. With the
Orion Plus 3015, our turnaround on jobs is much faster and I don’t have
to depend on an outside laser cutting shop to do the work (on a timely
basis). With the laser inhouse I do save a lot of money because I am
not outsourcing that work. As a result, we pass those savings onto our
customers. ”
In addition, Chiem says that the laser has opened up
new opportunities for business for SCF. “For example, we recently got a
new customer that we wouldn’t have had before because of the new laser
system.” Even though SCF had no previous experience with laser
cutting, training on the new system was relatively straightforward,
says Chiem. “Strippit was here for two weeks providing us training on
the new laser. Also, my operator and myself went for training in
programming. Even though neither my operator or myself had previous
experience using a laser cutting system, training on the new laser was
very simple.”
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